While the University of Michigan men’s hockey team will be aiming to maintain its No. 1 status with a win over rival Michigan State, it also will be scoring big in sustainability with the program’s first zero-waste game.

U-M is bringing its zero-waste practices to Yost Ice Arena Feb. 6, extending campus sustainability efforts into one of the university’s most visible indoor athletic venues. The effort is supported through the Zero Waste Events Program, led by the Office of Campus Sustainability in partnership with Michigan Athletics.

The program supports the university’s broader institutional waste-reduction goals, building on campuswide efforts to expand composting, reduce landfill waste and integrate prevention, reuse and diversion into everyday operations. It also builds on years of waste-reduction work at large outdoor events, including Michigan Stadium football games, and reflects growing interest in how sustainability practices translate across different campus settings.

“Zero waste is about designing events so that as much material as possible is kept out of the landfill,” said Alison Richardson, sustainability program manager in the Office of Campus Sustainability. “Athletic venues are especially powerful places to do this work because they bring together large numbers of people in shared spaces where small choices can add up quickly. They also provide an opportunity to introduce the concept of zero waste to a wide audience.”

At U-M, zero waste is an aspirational framework focused on waste prevention, reuse, recycling and composting. At large venues such as Michigan Stadium, zero-waste events are designed around a goal of diverting at least 90% of waste from the landfill. University staff say the hockey game provides an opportunity to explore how those same principles function in an indoor arena, where space constraints, fan flow and service operations differ.

​​Inside Yost Ice Arena, zero-waste practices will be integrated into the game-day environment in practical ways. Fans will notice a notable lack of landfill bins, just like at Michigan Stadium. Athletics is working with vendors to ensure items sold to fans are reusable, compostable or recyclable.

Compost and recycling bins are placed together to make sorting easier, signage shows examples of what belongs in each stream, and volunteers are available to help fans navigate disposal during busy moments. Food and serviceware choices also play a role, with compostable plates, cups and utensils prioritized to support diversion.

From an athletics perspective, the pilot reflects a broader effort to align game-day operations with campus sustainability values.

“Yost has a unique atmosphere and a long tradition,” said Paul Dunlop, associate athletic director for facility operations and capital projects. “This pilot allows us to understand how sustainability can fit naturally into the fan experience while maintaining the character of the venue.”

The event was proposed and organized by a student leader, who said the level of cross-campus support helped turn the idea into reality.

“It’s been amazing to see all the support this event has gotten throughout the planning process,” said Courtney Bessell, Michigan Athletics sustainability intern. “Ultimately, the goal is to make a real impact by reducing our footprint, but also to showcase how important sustainability is and share it with our fans. Seeing people from the Office of Campus Sustainability, Athletics, Student Life Sustainability, School for Environment and Sustainability and beyond come together has been incredibly rewarding.”

Brian McCullough, associate professor of sport management at the School of Kinesiology, said that athletic venues can influence behavior well beyond a single event.

“Sport venues serve as more than just stages for competition; they are powerful living laboratories for environmental change,” he said. “When sustainability practices are visible and normalized in these spaces, they can shape habits that people carry with them into their daily lives.”

University officials emphasized that the hockey game is a pilot, intended to generate awareness and insights rather than meet a specific performance benchmark. Lessons learned will help inform future zero-waste efforts across athletic venues and other campus spaces.

“Every event is an opportunity to practice what sustainability looks like in real life,” Richardson said. “That’s what makes this work meaningful—it’s embedded in experiences people already care about.”